Bally's Las Vegas - The Real Deal :

All it takes is one chemically enhanced ride on the freaky neon blue people mover to fall in love. If it works... which, by extension, is Ballys in a nutshell. Fun if you're fucked up on booze and the property isn't undergoing a mechanical, service or housekeeping failure.

Seriously though... we love the satin jacket off of Bally's. Where else can the VegasTripper who seeks thrills minus frills lay their hat... LVH? Bally's has no themes or attractions or diversions, nor are there hoity toit shopping promenades or incredibly overpriced night clubs. What you get is a great value and tons of unpretentious fun.

Location of Bally's Las Vegas:

Ballys is located right in the heart of The Strip at Flamingo Road and The Strip. To the west is Bellagio, on the north side is Flamingo. Attached at the hip to the south is the casino du frommage -Paris Las Vegas. It takes eons to get from the street to the casino floor, although the tubular neon launchway is like totally super mega way groovy except on the 120 degree days when the goddamn escalators work. Bally's casino level entrance offers quick access to Paris' excellent buffet and casino via our favorite fake street in all of Las Vegas - "Rue de Le Paix" (pronounced "Pie'x")

Bally's Las Vegas History

Before Ballys became Bally's it was the MGM Grand, where one of the worst hotel fires ever took place in 1980. 84 people died and 697 of the 5,000 guests were injured in what was determined to be an electrical malfunction. Some think otherwise. KNPR has great streaming audio story, which includes first hand accounts of employees and guests who were present that fateful day. Since it was purchased by Harrah's Entertainment (now Caesars) the property has coasted along, waiting for the day it will be wrecked or renovated. Only Caesar knows the fate of Ballys for sure.

The Rooms at Bally's Las Vegas

The rooms prices range from recession busting $39 (mid-week low) to $250 (weekend high), usually slightly subpar to Flamingo, Luxor and some of the other mid-tier properties. Last time we visited Ballys, we paid $99 for a side view of the Strip, half view of the Bellagio fountain (with music! Frank, good; Celine, bad) and a direct view of the Ei-faux-l Tower. We were right over the pool at Paris and had a good view of it. Looked like a petri dish, with microbial swimmers. Rooms are clean(ish) and quite large compared to other hotels of this vintage. It used to be the MGM Grand after all.

As with most Caesars Entertainment properties, housekeeping and maintenance leaves a lot to be desired. Rooms are made up quickly and carelessly without attention to larger picture details. If you happen to luck upon a dedicated housekeeper or ensure good housekeeping by laying out a fat tip immediately after checking in, you'll probably escape some of the typical Bally's headaches.

Restaurants at Bally's Las Vegas

Between Ballys and its nearest neighbor Paris, there are loads and loads of dining options. Of these, three stand out: Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris, Bally's Steakhouse and the The Sterling Brunch, a luxurious Sunday brunch inside Bally's Steakhouse (reservations required) and Ichiban Sushi who serve it in classic Tokyo style - on a conveyer belt!

Bally's Las Vegas Tips

One of Bally's longest running attractions is Jubilee, the last of the "dancing showgirls" extravaganzas left in Las Vegas. The vintage Vegas floorshow is an art form that every Vegas visitor MUST partake in at least once. Go. Now. Buy tickets (to the semi-nude late show.)

The Hot Box

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